Concerns about Reddit potentially limiting Google’s access to its content emerged last week following a recent report. However, Reddit has now refuted these claims, asserting that the report is inaccurate and that the status quo will be maintained.
Last Friday, The Washington Post published an article suggesting that Reddit might consider requiring users to log in to the platform before granting them access to its content. This step would only be taken if Reddit failed to reach an agreement with generative AI companies to compensate for their use of Reddit’s data.
Nonetheless, Reddit’s spokesperson, Courtney Geesey-Dorr, informed The Verge that the report is unfounded. Geesey-Dorr also stated, “Nothing is changing.”
The potential implementation of such a business strategy by Reddit could have implications for Google. It might lead to Reddit’s content being excluded from Google search results.
As highlighted by The Verge, the report does not exclusively pertain to Reddit. It concerns over 535 news outlets that are considering blocking generative AI companies from accessing their websites. The concern arises from the fact that generative AI relies on data for training purposes. Consequently, companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft scrape websites for accessible data to enhance their AI models.
Earlier this year, Reddit faced user protests in response to changes that could adversely impact third-party apps. During that period, more than 7,000 subreddits temporarily suspended their activities. If Reddit were to implement a login requirement in the future, it might result in a similar experience, where Google users are directed to private communities when seeking Reddit posts.